The result? In 721 B.C., the ten northern tribes of Israel were taken into captivity by Assyria and in 586 B.C. the two southern tribes were taken by Babylon. Seventy years later a small remnant of 40,000 Jews returned to Israel while the rest were scattered throughout the world. In A.D. 70 Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans, and the remnant of Israelites was dispersed among the nations. Israel then became desolate as predicted 1,600 years before.

God's word also stated that the nation of Israel would be restored, saying, "Neither will I destroy them utterly."13 "For I will take you from among the nations, and gather you out of all countries and will bring you into your own land."14 "I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and live in them again,"15 and the nation "will blossom as the rose."16

The people of Israel have survived heinous atrocities committed against them by the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Greeks, the Romans, Hitler and others. And even today there are those who would like to "wipe Israel off the map." Their repeated survival against overwhelming odds and the rebuilding of their nation—which is still taking place at this time, twenty-five hundred years after God said that it would happen—is irrefutable evidence of the validity of the Bible.

In considering whether on not the Bible is the inspired Word of God we have considered the following evidences: Support from Jesus Christ; the Apostle Peters confirmation; evidence from fulfilled prophecy; and evidence from Israel. In conclusion let us discuss two more affirming evidences: The continuity of the Bible, and evidence from science and archaeology.

The continuity of the Bible is further confirmation of its authenticity. Through it was written over a period of fifteen hundred years by thirty-five to forty different writers with sixty-six different books, it has only one major theme—the salvation of lost mankind. This supports the claim that there is only one author—God.

The nation of Israel is one of the
clearest evidences for the validity
of God's Word, the Bible. Its history
is a continual story of biblical
prophecy being fulfilled.

Evidence from science and archaeology. While the Bible isn't intended as a scientific text book, scientific facts that have been in its pages for at least thirty-five hundred years have come to light only in recent times. For example, many of the statutes and regulations in the Old Testament were given for health and hygienic purposes—knowledge that was unknown to the ancient world.

As I've quoted before, in his book, None of These Diseases, Dr. S.I. McMillen wrote, "When God led the Israelites out of afflicted Egypt, he promised them that if they would obey his statutes, he would put 'none of these diseases' upon them [diseases from which Egypt and other nations were suffering]. God guaranteed a freedom from disease that modern medicine cannot duplicate."17

Dr. McMillen continues, "I am confident that the reader will be intrigued to discover that the Bible's directives can save him from certain infectious diseases, from many lethal cancers, and from a long gauntlet of psychosomatic diseases that are increasing in spite of modern medicine."18

In the final analysis, however, it is up to each individual as to whether or not he or she chooses to accept or reject the Bible as God's Word. For those who want to believe it is, there is more than sufficient evidence to support this belief.

Furthermore, all who have accepted the Bible as God's Word, and have responded to Jesus Christ's invitation to receive him as Lord and Savior and live according to biblical principles, have a deep assurance that the Bible is God's Word, that it is true, and that they have been given the gift of eternal life.19

The greatest quest of man over the ages has always been to know: "Where did I come from? Why am I here? And, where am I going?" Only God's Word, the Bible, can give him the answers to these questions.